


The Weakest Link

by imaginisa



Series: Adventures with the Enterprise [3]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 13:09:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,474
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12366483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imaginisa/pseuds/imaginisa
Summary: Every chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Is the weakest link of the Starship Enterprise the loyalty the crew shows to each other? Or is the weakest link of their enemies that they will never leave their own behind? When one of their own is kidnapped by dangerous aliens, how far will they go to get him back? Spoilers for Star Trek: Into Darkness.





	The Weakest Link

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer and Author's Note: I do not own Star Trek. This story is based off the alternate reality version of Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek: Into Darkness. However, I am making references to all Star Trek movies and TV shows.  
> This story takes place a few months after the end of Star Trek: Into Darkness and my fanfic "Birthday." It features characters introduced in my other fanfic "Exam Day."

Ch. 1 - The Ferengi

Location: Space Station orbiting Andoria.  
1st Week of the Five-year mission

"Our first stop on our five year mission is a normal, perfectly Pre-explored space station!" Scotty asked incredulously.  
"Sounds nice," McCoy said, "No explosions, no volcanoes, no people trying to kill us!"  
"Come on, Bones!" Kirk said, clapping the ship's doctor on the back, "Where's your sense of adventure?"  
"Frozen with Khan," McCoy answered sourly.  
Kirk rolled his eyes and looked at his science officer. "Can you believe this guy?"  
"I have no reason to think that Dr. McCoy is a liar," Spock answered. "Although his comment is highly illogical and not at all accurate."  
Kirk sighed. "That's not what I meant, Spock. We need to work on your ..."  
"Use of the vernacular," Uhura suggested, not turning away from her station, but a small smile on her face.  
Chekov laughed but managed to turn it into a cough, and Sulu smiled as he announced, "The Enterprise's docking clamps are locked into the station, Captain."  
"Good job, Sulu," Kirk said, standing up from his chair. "Let's get going. Sulu you have the com for the first shift."  
"Yes, sir," Sulu replied. He smiled at Chekov as the young man stood. "Have fun."  
Chekov grinned and entered the lift with the others. Trish took his place in the Navigator's station and asked Sulu, "Think they'll wait for us before getting into trouble?"  
Sulu laughed. "Not a chance!"

"April!" Chekov jogged to catch up with the pilot who has recently begun working in Engineering with Scotty. "You free during the first shift?"  
"If I wasn't free I think I'd be on the ship, Chekov," April Mayweather replied with a smile.  
Chekov shrugged, grinning back. "Thought I'd check. You could be running an errand."  
"With all the weird things Mr. Scott makes me do, I wouldn't be surprised!"  
"You two kids stay out of trouble," grumbled McCoy from behind them. He'd just come through the airlock connecting the Enterprise to the station and was frowning with annoyance.  
"Yes, sir," said April.  
"What's wrong?" Chekov asked.  
"Technically, nothing," McCoy grumbled. "But Scotty took Jim and Spock to some sort of bar..."  
April began giggling, imagining Spock in a bar and Chekov managed to keep a straight face for only a second longer.  
"Laugh all you want," McCoy grumbled, "But they could have at least waited for me..."  
Realizing what he said, he gave both of the younger officers a glare. "Just stay out of trouble," he growled and walked after his friends. But once his back was turned he allowed himself a smile.

Still laughing, Chekov and April went to get some lunch with other ensigns on the ship and later found themselves simply browsing the different stalls manned by aliens from all around the quadrant.  
"Hey, you two!" A nasally voice called. "You! Humans! Over here!"  
Chekov and April exchanged startled looks and looked at the speaker: an orange alien with giant earlobes and a bright purple suit standing by a stall filled with clothing.  
"Are you speaking to us?" Chekov asked politely.  
"Yes," the alien said, bowing low. "And may I say it's just a pleasure to make your acquaintance. You're from the Enterprise, right?"  
"Yes," Chekov replied.

April was examining the alien with avid, yet cautious, interest and asked slowly, "You wouldn't happen to be a Ferengi, would you?"  
"Of course I'm a Ferengi!" The alien snapped. "What else would I be?"  
"Sorry," April apologized quickly. "I've never met anyone from your species before."  
A grunt was the Ferengi's only reply and the two officers looked at each other, at a loss of what to do.  
"Now, now, Quintan, don't be rude," another slightly nasally voice said from behind them.

Another Ferengi, this one in a bright green suit and with even larger ears approached them.  
"I apologize for my brother, he doesn't have the lobes for customer service," the Ferengi said. "I'm Quartel, the owner of this shop. Would you be interested in some of our..."  
"No thank you," April said politely. "We've got to get back to the ship..."  
"You will wound me deeply if you don't take a look," Quartel said with a pained look and a hand on his heart.  
"We really do..." Began Chekov but Quintan interrupted and said to his brother, "See? I told you! Humans are rude! A true blight on the galaxy! Why do we even bother...?"  
"We can take a quick look...right, Sir?" April said. Chekov glared at her. She was using his rank as an excuse to not look bad in front of the aliens. Granted, it was a good idea.  
"What do you recommend?" Chekov asked Quartel.

The Ferengi grinned and April tried not to stare at the pointed teeth.  
"I have this lovely silk that is native to Andoria," the green-clad alien said. "Take a look!" The two humans followed the Ferengi's to their stall and as one alien looked through the wares, the other asked Chekov, "You wouldn't happen to be a high-ranking officer, would you? We give discounts based on Starfleet rank."  
"We're both Ensigns," Chekov told him, "But I work on the bridge."  
"Perfect!" Quartel said before thrusting a bolt of silk into Chekov's face. Chekov tried to push it away, but his eyes felt heavy and it was hard to breathe. The last thing he registered was April reaching for her communicator and the Ferengi running after her.

As soon at Quartel thrust the silk into Chekov's face, April knew they were in trouble. Her grandfather had told her about the Ferengi space pirates that had attacked the ship on which he worked long ago, and April had kept one hand on her communicator just in case. As Chekov's knees hit the floor April had already flipped open the communicator but before she could say a word Quintan had thrown another scrap of silk in her face. April swatted it away, careful not to breathe and shouted into the communicator, "Mayweather to Enterprise! We're..."  
Quartel hit her from behind with a wooden rod usually used to store cloth and the young officer collapsed.  
"You...!" Began Quintan but Quartel interrupted, his eyes darting around to various alien shoppers that were looking at them curiously,  
"They collapsed! Oh no! Brother, we have to get them to their ship!"  
"Yes! Yes!" Quintan agreed quickly. They deftly loaded the two unconscious Enterprise officers onto hover-carts and hurried away.  
April's communicator was left beeping on the ground behind them.

"Ensign Mayweather, please come in! Ensign Mayweather! April, are you all right!?" Sulu looked at the communications officer on duty. "What's wrong? Is it her communicator?"  
"No, sir. It's working fine..."  
"Try Chekov."  
"No answer."  
Sulu frowned, and said. "Connect me to Captain Kirk."  
The officer nodded and flipped a switch.

"Enterprise to Captain Kirk."  
"Go ahead."  
"Captain, Ensign Mayweather just tried to contact the ship and was cut off. She and Chekov are together and not responding to our hails. I have a feeling something is wrong."  
Kirk glanced at Spock and asked, "Where are they?"  
"They seem to be on their way to docking clamp seven."  
"Why would they be going to the seventh docking clamp when the Enterprise is at the first?" Spock asked.  
"I don't know, sir, that's why I contacted you," Sulu replied.  
"We'll find them. Kirk out." Kirk stored his communicator and set off for the docking area at a jog, Spock followed him. McCoy and Scott saw them leave from inside the bar, exchanges glances, and hurried after them. Scotty drained his glass first.

Kirk and Spock stepped out of the turbo lift and were almost run over by a couple of Ferengi pushing a hover-carts piled with cloth.  
"What the hell?" Muttered Kirk as the aliens pushed by without apologizing.  
Spock looked down at his triquarter, and looked up in a way that Kirk would describe as the Vulcan's version of puzzled.  
"Captain, according to these readings. The Ensigns are only 3 meters ahead of us and heading quickly towards..." Spock trailed off as both he and Kirk looked at the hover-carts.  
"Hey! Ferengi!" At Kirk's call they slowed down and looked back.  
"What's in the carts?"  
The Ferengi began to run and the two officers chased after them.

Spock caught up without much trouble and pulled the cloths off both carts to reveal April and Chekov, unconscious but clearly alive. Then he dropped to the ground as one of the Ferengi pulled out a phase pistol and shot at his head. Kirk jumped on the shooter and wrestled him to the ground, and Spock had no trouble twisting the arms of the brother behind his back.  
"Owe! That hurts! Stop! I surrender! I surrender!" The Ferengi squawked.  
"Quintan, you idiot!" howled the other as Kirk manages to grab the phase pistol from his hand and aim it at the previous owner.

"Good God! What's going on?" McCoy said angrily the turbo lift opened and he appeared with Scotty.  
"Were the lad and lassie kidnapped? "Scotty asked, looking at the cart with the unconscious ensigns.  
"Almost," growled Kirk, glaring at the Ferengi before him.  
"Evidently they failed," Spock added.  
Meanwhile, McCoy had scanned April with his medical triquarter and told Kirk, "They're fine. Just unconscious. But I'd like to get them back to the medical bay."  
"We can beam there. And I'd like to get these two," Kirk growled, "To the brig and demand an explanation!"  
"Captain," Spock said, "As we are on an interplanetary space station we must take them to the station manager."  
Kirk looked at Spock, a bit exasperated; "I assume that's the logical thing to do?"  
"Of cour..." Spock was cut off as phase-fire filled the hall. Everyone dropped to the ground except the Ferengi that Kirk had been threatening. Instead, Quartel grabbed the nearest hover-cart, the one with Chekov, took a running start, and then rode it all the way into the ship at the seventh docking clamp. He was not hit.

Kirk tried to follow, only to be hit in the leg and fell back to the ground with a grunt of pain.  
"Captain!" Spock called, holding fast to the arms of his Ferengi captive.  
"I'm fine! Who's shooting at us?"  
But no one could see their attackers, who were hiding behind the seventh docking clamp doors. As suddenly as it started, it stopped and the light signaling that a ship was taking off began blinking.  
"Kirk to Enterprise!" Kirk shouted into his communicator, "Sulu! Don't let that ship leave!"

"Yes, sir!" Sulu replied. He turned to the officer at weapons. "Try to disable their warp drive! Hurry!"  
But it was too late, the ship warped and those on the Enterprise were left staring at the black expanse of space and stars.  
"Enterprise? Do you have them?"

Sulu winced inwardly at the sound of Kirk's voice and he said regretfully, "No, sir. They went to warp."  
"Is Uhura onboard?"  
"Just got to the bridge, Captain," Uhura replied as she sat down in her station. "What's going on?"  
"Contact everyone aboard the station and tell them to get back on the ship." Uhura and Sulu could hear that something was very wrong in Kirk's voice.  
"Captain? What happened?"  
"Chekov's been kidnapped."

Ch. 2 - The Klingons

Chekov's first thought was that his head felt heavy. He knew that whatever drug the Ferengi had given him was still affecting him and he lay still, eyes closed, for several minutes. He didn't move, but he listened. Scotty had taught him how to listen to a ship's engines and hear what the ship was doing. The thought of Scotty comforted Chekov as he realized that he couldn't move his arms or legs. He strained his ears, struggling to understand what was happening around him despite the fog in his brain. The whine of the engine and the rumble of the ship's walls told him they were at warp in a small vessel.  
The haze in Chekov's brain cleared and the young ensign opened his eyes. He was looking up at the ceiling of a small transport ship – empty except for him and piles of weapons and boxes of supplies. Chekov heard the doors open on the other side of the room and he struggled to raise his head against his restraints. He was expecting to see Ferengi.  
What he saw made his mouth go dry.

Three Klingons in full battle gear entered the small room. They seemed to fill it completely with their broad shoulders and black manes of tangled hair. One had a silver sash across his body and Chekov instantly identified him as the leader. It was this Klingon who smiled evilly at him, gnashing pointed teeth together.  
"Human," he growled, struggling with English, "You here...give us information...human attack on Kronos. Stay silent...unwise..."  
"We aren't planning an attack on..."  
"Lie!" The Klingon interrupted Chekov. "There was attack! A patrol, killed all! Long time take, but we find a human ship was there! Do you deny?"

Khan.

Admiral Marcus' obsession with attacking the Klingons.

Using the Enterprise as bait.

It had happened but how could Chekov explain? What could he say to convince this angry Klingon who barely spoke English about the truth? And the restraints were digging into his skin and his heart was beating so fast that he was becoming short of breath and that Klingon near the door was rummaging through a box full of weapons...

Chekov hesitated too long, the leader was impatient and growled something in his language to his men. That Klingon in the back came forward with a long, black knife.  
"Speak," the leader growled.  
"The Federation has no intention of attacking the Klingon Empire," Chekov said. He could hear the blood pulsing in his ears, feel the sweat trickling down his neck.  
"Liar," the leader said. His man handed him the black knife. Chekov closed his eyes.

They didn't stop until he started to scream. He screamed for a long time…

"Bones! I need to get to the bridge!"  
"You need to hold still while I fix your leg! That's a fourth-degree phase pistol burn! Any hotter and you wouldn't have a leg you stubborn mule!"  
"One of my officers has been kidnapped by Ferengi flying an unmarked ship and you want me to sit in sickbay?!"  
"I want you to let me do my job!"

April moaned slightly and the two men stopped arguing. She blinked her eyes, and tried to sit up.  
"Lie still," McCoy said, grabbing his medical triquarter and scanning her.  
"That was an interesting rest stop," Ensign Mayweather said quietly, blinking a few times.  
"The drug is completely out of your system," McCoy said. He picked up a cup and handed it to her. "Drink this. And don't go on duty for another hour."  
"What is it?" April asked warily, sitting up carefully.  
"Water," said McCoy. "Now drink."  
April half-laughed as she complied.

"How do you feel, Ensign?" Kirk asked her.  
"A little groggy but I'll be fine soon." April looked around and asked, "Captain? Where's Chekov?"  
Kirk swallowed hard before replying, "We were under heavy fire; they managed to kidnap Chekov."  
April's mouth opened in surprise and then she closed it without a word. Worry was evident in her dark eyes.  
"We'll get him back, Ensign," Kirk said.  
"I know, sir," April replied, "You don't leave your people behind. Chekov knows that, too."  
Kirk smiled wryly, a bit sadly. "Does my crew really have that much faith in me?"  
"Absolutely, Captain," April replied. "You gave your life so that the ship would survive during the Khan incident. This crew will follow you anywhere."

McCoy knew this was true, but he was still amazed by the conviction in the young woman's eyes. And he could tell Jim was too. April probably couldn't tell, but this loyalty surprised, and flattered Jim Kirk. But above all, it strengthened his resolve to find Chekov as quickly as possible.

The silence in the medical bay was broken by Kirk's communicator beeping, and Jim flipped it open. "Kirk here."  
"Captain," came Spock's voice, "We have reached the end of the warp trail, but it ends in empty space."  
"What?" said Kirk. He pushed McCoy aside and began walking to the bridge.  
"Jim!" McCoy protested, "Good God man! I just finished, you need to rest!"  
"I have a missing navigator, Bones! I'm not resting!"  
"Oh, why do I bother?" McCoy growled, he grabbed his portable med-kit just in case, told April to stay put for at least twenty minutes or else, and ran after his friend.

April sat still for about twenty seconds and then took off for engineering - Scotty would need help eventually and she wasn't going to sit still when her friend was in danger any more than the Captain!

"As I said, Captain, the warp trail ends," Spock explained calmly as Kirk sat down at Spock's station and stared at the readings.  
"How the hell is that possible," Kirk muttered, his eyes narrowed.  
"I have a theory," Spock said.  
"Go ahead."  
"The ship rendezvoused with another vessel and is now parked within the hangar bay of said vessel."  
"But there's no warp trail," Sulu pointed out. His arms were crossed and his brow furrowed with worry.  
"Some ships are equipped with cloaking devices that can also mask their warp trail," Spock said.

"Wait," said Scotty. He stood from the bridge's engineering station and looked from Spock to Kirk. "Only Klingon bird of preys use that type of technology."

For a second, the bridge was quiet and everyone looked at Spock.  
"They are not the only, Romulans can cloak as well. But it is the most logical option," Spock said.  
"Yellow alert," Kirk announced walking to his chair. "I want everyone at battle stations. Uhura scan for Klingon transmissions, ANY transmissions, understand?"  
"Yes, sir."  
"Spock, Scotty, is there a way we can scan for the residual warp trail?"  
"If Mr. Scott can..." as Spock explained his plan to the engineer and Captain, Uhura scanned the space around them and found, not Klingon but...

"Captain," Uhura interrupted Spock, "I found transmissions in Ferengi."  
"Right," said Kirk, "Contact them." Kirk looked at his first officer. "I think it's time we talked to our guest."

Ch. 3 - All About Profit

Quintan was not having a good day. First a group of crewmen had refused to stop and buy his wares. Then that female Ensign had managed to contact her ship. Then his brother had left without him! And NOW he was locked in the brig of the human vessel. Quintan glared at the walls of his cell and jumped about a foot in the air when the doors of the brig opened and the human Captain walked in, followed by that Vulcan.

"Ah, Captain," Quintan began, "I..."  
"Save it," Kirk snapped. "You told Commander Spock that you didn't know where that ship was going, correct?"  
"I swear that it was the truth," the Ferengi said. "But in exchange for a few bars of gold-plated platinum I may remember something interesting."  
"You would trade your partner's whereabouts for money?" Spock asked. "Fascinating, you are as greedy as the database describes."  
"We don't have any money," Kirk said.  
"Then I have no information..."  
"But you will tell us what we want to know or…or…or my first officer will mind-meld with you," Kirk said. Spock glanced at Kirk, one eyebrow slightly raised in his version of extreme surprise, but Kirk ignored him and the Ferengi didn't notice.

"Mind...mind-meld?" Quintan stammered.  
"A Vulcan technique where our minds will be joined and I will know everything you know," Spock replied.  
"Ah...does it hurt...?" Quintan whimpered. Like all Ferengi he was, at heart, a coward.  
"Extremely," said the human Captain.  
"I don't know where they took your man, I just know that they paid us to give them a senior officer onboard a Starfleet vessel. Extra if it was from the Enterprise," Quintan rambled off quickly.  
"Who's they?" said the Captain.  
"And where do you think they may be going?" asked Spock.  
"I don't know for sure, my brother has the lobes for this type of business but..."  
"Answer the question!" Kirk snapped. He looked truly frightening to the Ferengi.  
"Klingons!" Quintan said, "And they may be going to their home world..."  
"You sold my officer to the Klingons?!" Kirk shouted.  
"It was a good price!" Quintan wailed, "But they didn't pay me for this!"  
"Don't bother, Captain," said Spock. Kirk had never seen Spock look so cold as when he looked at the miserable Ferengi. "The Ferengi would sell their own souls for a profit. An alien youth means nothing to them."

"Can I charge him with anything?" Kirk growled at Spock as the two of them walked to the turbo lift.  
"By the laws of their species he has done no wrong."  
"What about the laws of the Federation! They are part of the Federation, right?"  
"Not entirely..."

As the two men entered the turbo lift, Kirk let Spock's voice wash over him. The Vulcan was explaining exactly how to proceed in bringing the Ferengi to justice, something about revoking his license to trade in Federation space. But most of Kirk's mind was occupied by the idea of Chekov - the youngest person on his ship - being tortured by Klingons.  
"You are not listening, are you, Captain?" Spock asked.  
"Huh? No, not really...it's just..."  
"You are worried about Ensign Chekov."  
"Yeah," Kirk looked at Spock and admitted. "Out of all the people who could be kidnapped onboard this ship, they picked the person who'd I worry about the most. It's not that I don't think the kid can take care of himself, it's just..."  
"You feel even more responsible for him because he is younger," Spock finished. "The fact that you just called him a kid proves that fact."

Kirk didn't respond, only looked at the lights of the turbo lift flash as they went to the bridge.  
"I, too, am anxious about Ensign Chekov," Spock admitted after a moment.  
Kirk looked at him in surprise. "You? Worried about someone else?"

Spock gave him a look; a look that somehow managed to convey that discussion between the two of them and Uhura on the way to Kronos during the Khan incident. A look that held the shadow of his rage-filled race after Khan through San Francisco when he thought Kirk was gone forever.  
"I know," Kirk said softy, "I'm sorry."  
"There is no need to apologize, Jim," Spock answered just as softy, "You and Uhura are perhaps the only people in the world who know I am capable of so much emotion..."  
"Not the only ones," Kirk whispered. Scotty and Chekov had seen Spock race to the bridge, heard him scream in denial when Jim Kirk had died.  
"The fact remains," Spock concluded, "That I do care about a select few and, somehow, that young man has managed to become one of them."

Ch. 4 - Starfleet Identification Number

What currently worried Chekov the most was that he no longer had the - was it strength? Will? Desire? - to plan an escape route out of that room. There had been a brief moment of hope when they moved him from the transport ship to what was undoubtedly a Klingon Bird-of-Prey but that hope had been quickly squashed when he'd found himself restrained by three Klingons that were both much bigger and much stronger than a gangly human teenager.

After the Klingons had tortured him the first time, Chekov had imagined every possible rescue scenario and planned how he could assist the Enterprise's rescue crew. Now...it had been at least two days. He was sure of it. And he had never hurt so much.  
They always asked the same question too. When will the humans attack Kronos? How will they attack? Chekov was tired of saying that no attack was coming. He wondered dimly if they believed him and were simply torturing him for the fun of it. They certainly laughed as they did it; laughed as they swung swords with enough force to slice apart his skin but not bleed him to death. Swords that were dipped in some sort of poison that after a few seconds...Chekov almost cried out at the mere memory of the pain.

He heard the hiss of the doors opening and he tried to prepare. Who was he kidding? He just tried not to show how scared he was. His only consolation was what Captain Kirk would do once he got here. Why he'd probably destroy the entire Klingon armada if...

Time froze.

Chekov's brilliant mind suddenly made a connection and he understood everything.  
Klingons were about honor, not torture. In Klingon society, these men were criminals, unworthy of sitting at the same table with Captains and Elders. Which meant that this was not sanctioned by the Klingon Empire. If it was, it was a back alley deal, a crooked deal done in the shadows. This wasn't about when the humans were attacking, it was about giving humans the incentive to attack. And what better incentive than torturing a young Ensign from the Enterprise?

The Klingon leader with his obnoxious silver sash entered the room followed by his cronies.  
"New question, human," he growled at Chekov. Chekov gazed at him, blank-faced; but inside he was fuming from his newfound revelation. How dare they use him as some sort of bait for his crew?  
Silver-Sash leaned in, gently pressing one dirty finger into one of the cuts on Chekov's arm. Chekov bit his lip to keep from crying out.  
"What are the shield codes for the Enterprise?" Silver-Sash growled.

That was not the question Chekov was expecting.

"What?" He gasped.  
"Shield codes," Silver-Sash growled. "Or more pain."  
"No."  
"No?" The Klingon actually smiled. "You will give."  
Chekov glared at him, and then looked straight up at the ceiling. I'm the bait for the Enterprise. The Enterprise, if destroyed, will start a war that will destroy Earth.

"Ensign Chekov, Pavel Andreievich. Starfleet identification number 97-"  
Chekov was cut off as they hit him. Again and again and again...  
And even though he didn't want his friends to die. Chekov found himself thinking, selfishly, "Captain, where are you?"

Ch. 5 - Making it Personal

"...Therefore, may I have permission to enter the neutral zone, Admiral?" Captain Kirk finished.  
Admiral Mayweather sighed as he looked at the image of Captain Kirk on his view-screen and Kirk, unseen by the Admiral, clenched his hands into fists. Sulu looked at the spot normally occupied by Chekov and swallowed hard.

It had been two days. Scotty had managed to find the warp trail of the Klingon Bird-of-Prey after as he said "a wee bit of adjustments and a whole lot of luck." They had discovered the unidentified transport ship about an hour later - the other Ferengi had been found dead inside. They'd turned over their Ferengi prisoner to a Vulcan transport ship headed for Earth and now they were parked on the Starfleet side of the neutral zone. The warp trail led inside.

Admiral Mayweather looked at Kirk and asked evenly, "If I say no, will you go after Ensign Chekov anyway?"  
"Uh...I...a captain should never disobey a direct order from an Admiral, sir," Kirk replied.

Uhura turned to face her consoles so that no one could see her face. Of course they'd go after Chekov. Everyone was thinking it. Orders be damned they weren't leaving him to die.

"I see," said the Admiral. He was looking at Kirk but his eyes were distant, seeing another time, another place, another ship called Enterprise. "I see, because a Captain I once knew would not hesitate to disobey a direct order if a member of his crew was in danger."  
Kirk breathed deeply, but did not reply. His hands were clenched so tight at his side that his knuckles were white.  
"You have permission to enter the neutral zone but stay within regulation distance of Starfleet space and do NOT enter Klingon space no matter what happens. Understood?"  
Sulu let out a breath he didn't know he was holding as Kirk nodded; "Understood, sir."

"Promise me, Kirk," Admiral Mayweather said sternly. "No matter what happens - no matter how many there are, how much they throw at you, no matter if your young Ensign is in Klingon territory - you will NOT go into Klingon space."  
Kirk's hands tightened again but he said, "Yes, sir."  
"I'm not convinced," the Admiral said. "I will make this personal, Captain. My grand-daughter is aboard you ship."  
Kirk knew that. He remembered the celebration after the Nero incident. He remembered talking to a young pilot, calling her June and having her laugh and reply "Close, Captain. It's a month but April not June!" He remembered being about the flirt when the legendary Admiral had appeared and thanked him for bringing his grand-daughter home.  
"Make sure she makes it through your five-year mission, Captain Kirk," Admiral Mayweather said. "Do not enter Klingon space."

The Admiral had won. And April wasn't the only grand-daughter aboard his ship; nor the only daughter, sister, wife or friend. And the Enterprise was filled with men and women whose family was watching the sky, anxious for them to come home…like George Kirk never had come. Grudgingly, Jim Kirk promised, "I will not enter enemy territory, sir."  
The Admiral nodded. "Good luck, Captain."

The screen winked out and once again showed the stars of the neutral zone.  
Kirk went to stand behind Sulu and put one hand on the back of the pilot's chair. "Nice and easy, Lieutenant. Follow that trail."  
"Yes, sir," Sulu said. Every man and woman onboard that ship held his or her breath as they once again crossed the invisible line into the neutral zone.

A few minutes later, April switched places with Sulu as the senior officers went to have a meeting in the conference room. April's heart was beating faster with every second that passed. She was more worried about Chekov than she had ever been about anyone.  
"Hold on, Pavel," she muttered quietly. "We're on our way."

"I need ideas," Kirk said. He was pacing back and forth in the senior officer's meeting room. McCoy wondered if he would wear a hole through the floor.  
"We should catch up to the ship in the hour," Spock said. "Their warp trail suggests that our ship is faster than theirs."  
"What if they are in Klingon territory?" Scotty asked, his arms crossed, "What happens then?"  
"We lure them out," Kirk said fiercely.  
"What?" McCoy said.  
"You heard me, Bones."  
"Are you insane? The last thing we want is to get into a game of cat and mouse with Klingons!"  
"That might actually be our best chance," Uhura said. "They won't be able to resist a crippled Federation ship on the edge of their territory."  
"What if they just fire on us from Klingon territory?" Scotty asked.  
"We lead them out," Kirk growled.  
"I, regretfully, must raise the possibility that Ensign Chekov is dead," Spock said.

There was silence for a minute and then McCoy burst out, "You green-blooded goblin! How can you even say that?!"  
"He has a point, Bones," Kirk said tiredly. He threw himself into the chair and looked at his bridge crew. "Chekov might be dead. But the Klingons made this personal when they took one of our own and we have to find him. If he is..." Kirk swallowed hard and looked down. "We can't attack the Klingons, so we sure as hell have to make sure we get there while he's still alive."  
Spock stood. "I have an idea, Captain."

Ch. 6 - Honor

They'd hung Chekov from his wrists at one point. Right after they were done with the almost drowning thing. They'd held him under until his lungs had almost burst and then when they lifted him up they'd hit him. Demanding the shield codes. Now the cold metal of the shackles was biting into his thin wrists - he didn't have the strength to stand so he was simply hanging...blood was trickling down his wrist.  
"At least I'm not thirsty anymore," Chekov thought, "The water took care of that." He'd found a morbid sense of humor now that he was so exhausted. So exhausted...because they hadn't let him sleep either...but he wouldn't betray his friends, his family.  
Oddly enough, now that he was so tired, all he could think about was April. How she had once said that the only thing about space travel that scared her was torture. She'd smiled sheepishly as she told him how her grandfather had scared her half-to-death with stories of alien espionage and prisoners of war when she was little. They'd been the two youngest people at the Academy; but she had been almost seventeen when they'd started and had managed to weed herself into the group. She'd been the Admiral's grand-daughter, untouchable but desirable…and she'd befriended him long before anyone else had. She joked that Chekov had passed her – he was on the bridge and she was in engineering now! But he only felt like he'd caught up to something almost as elusive as wind…yeah, Chekov knew he was delirious now…

The Klingons entered the room again. Silver Sash stepped forward.  
"We're done with games," he growled. "You die now."  
Chekov managed to lift his head and looked the Klingon in the eye. He wasn't scared anymore.  
"Отвяжись," Chekov said quietly, his eyes shining with a defiance that secretly impressed the Klingon before him.

He has honor, the Klingon thought. However, most humans did not so he was still going to kill the boy before him.  
The Klingon raised his sword...

 

Ch. 7 - No Man Left Behind

Sometime earlier

"Requesting assistance! We are stranded and unable to start our engines. Klingon vessel Star Destroyer requesting immediate assistance," Uhura said in Klingon.  
She switched off the intercom and took a deep breath.  
"What did you say?" Scotty asked from the seat next to her.  
"Exactly what the Captain told me to say," she answered. She was tapping her fingers up and down on the arm of her chair; she was nervous just like everyone else.  
"What did you say was the name of the ship?" Scotty asked.  
"The Star Destroyer," Uhura answered.  
"Really?" Kirk asked, glancing over at the two officers in the back seats of Shuttle Pod One from the pilot's chair. "Bit violent for this tiny ship."  
"If Mr. Scott adequately altered our warp trail then we will appear to be bigger than we actually are." Spock said from the co-pilot seat.  
"And Klingon's love the name Destroyer for their ships," Uhura added. "Some famous ships translate loosely to the Planet Destroyer, the Life Destroyer, the Sun Crusher, the Universe's Nemesis...things like that."

Scotty looked at her and blinked a few times.  
"What?" Uhura demanded.  
"This is who we want to find us?" Scotty demanded in return. "What the bloody hell are we doing?"  
"Rescuing a colleague," Spock answered calmly.  
"A friend, Spock," Kirk corrected, glancing at the Vulcan from the side of his eye, "We're saving a friend."  
"Poor laddie," Scotty murmured. Only Uhura heard him, but she didn't reply for the intercom had come alive and a Klingon voice came grumbling out.  
Uhura grunted a reply and, Kirk assumed, said the lines they had planned. The Klingon on the other side of the conversation laughed as he replied. Uhura ended the conversation and turned off the communicator.

"Well?" Kirk asked.  
"They're on their way," Uhura replied. "I told them that the Enterprise was just outside the neutral zone and he replied that they'd lost something that he's found."  
"Chekov?" Kirk asked.  
Uhura nodded; "I'm sure of it."  
A small beeping noise came from the panel to Spock's right and he glanced at the reading.  
"Proximity alarm is going off, Captain," Spock said. "They're almost here."

The Klingon bird of prey warped into being and Scotty gulped. It was much larger than their little shuttle pod...and he didn't know how long his fake signature would last. At the moment, as far as the Klingons were concerned, the Enterprise shuttle appeared to be a small Klingon vessel. At least, if his modifications held...  
The Klingons hailed the ship and Uhura almost pounced on the controls to answer. After a flurry of talking, Uhura switched it off and said, "It worked! Hurry! Get inside their hangar bay before they realize their mistake!"  
Kirk maneuvered the ship inside the Bird-of-Prey. He muttered, "Come on, Enterprise...now would be good..."

"We're insane," Nick Paris hissed at April Mayweather.  
April's hands tightened on the controls of Shuttle Pod Two as she answered, "Maybe."  
Nick drummed his fingers nervously on his seat and started slightly when Sulu's voice came over the intercom;  
"Shuttle Pod Two, are you ready?"  
"As ready as we'll ever be," April replied.  
"Good luck," Sulu said.  
April and Nick looked at each other. This they could do. They were no longer nervous - it was just reaction time now.  
"Shuttle Pod Two, on my mark," came Sulu's voice.  
Steely eyes, a furrow of concentration on April's face, Nick's hands now steady over the controls...

On the Enterprise's bridge, McCoy swallowed hard. The plan was deceivingly simple: the Captain would take Spock, Uhura and Scotty on Shuttle Pod One and fool the Klingons into letting them on their ship. Then, before the Klingons could realize their mistake, the Enterprise would be a distraction so they could rescue Chekov. The only problem was that the distraction part would require precision warp-driving. Another problem was that the Klingons could kill the Captain. Spock and McCoy had argued with Jim, trying to get him to switch places with Sulu but Kirk has made a good point - only Sulu could drive the Enterprise that precisely.  
So now McCoy was nervously looking at the sensors over Lieutenant Carol Marcus' shoulder and waiting for it all to start. It was almost time. Sulu paused in his conversation with April and Nick and looked straight ahead, his hands hovering over the controls.  
"Now!" Carol shouted as the Captain's shuttle pod entered the Klingon Bird-of-Prey.

Suddenly, they were at warp and as quickly they were dropping out of it right in front of the Klingons.  
"Now!" Sulu shouted. The warp residue was still dissipating as April and Nick shot out of the hangar bay, and started doing loops around the Enterprise.  
"Make it realistic!" Sulu called over his shoulder. "Aim our tractor beam at them and shoot off some phaser fire!"  
"Let's give the Klingon's a show," McCoy muttered as the Ensign at tactical complied.

"That's them!" Scotty exclaimed as a shuttle pod went barreling past the open hangar doors of the Klingon vessel.  
"We logically have five minutes until the Klingon's realize their mistake," Spock said.  
"You are remarkably calm for this situation," Scotty hissed at him as they all got out of the shuttle pod.  
"Uhura with Spock, Scotty with me. Don't use the communicators unless you need help or have found Chekov and hurry!" Kirk whispered furiously. The doors to the rest of the ship slid open with a hiss and Kirk and Spock stunned the two Klingons before the aliens realized what was happening. The group went into the hallway and split up.  
"We're coming, kid," Kirk thought.

The Klingon's communicator started beeping just as he was going to swing down his sword. Chekov gasped in relief, going limp against his restraints as he suddenly remembered how much he didn't want to die.  
The Klingon lowered his sword in annoyance and opened his communicator with a snap. He grunted something, someone replied, there was a lot of shouting in Klingon and they all raced out of the room. Chekov was left there alone. Red alert lights began to blink, and the young man began to laugh.  
"Right on time, Captain," he whispered in Russian. "Right on time."

The red alert lights began to blink but there were no sirens, no angry Klingons running through the halls so Kirk assumed they the lights had been turned on because of the Enterprise and their runaway shuttle. The rescue crew was safe…for now. Scotty gulped when he saw the light, but perked up when he saw a computer console.  
"Captain...?" He said.  
"Hurry," said Kirk. Scotty ran to the console and began to work - his fingers flying over the keys.  
"What do you know?" Kirk asked impatiently.  
"Hold your horses, Captain," Scotty said, "I don't speak Klingon!"  
"Can you tell anything?!" Kirk hissed, looking around nervously.  
"I got something," Scotty said, "They seem to be diverting extra power to one of the cargo bays..."  
"Chekov."  
"Probably...this way!" Scotty ran down the hall, counting doors as he went. His phase pistol lay forgotten on the computer console.

A sudden shout in Klingon behind him spurred him to run faster and he heard Kirk stun their pursuer before an alarm could be raised.  
Scotty found the correct doors. And the Klingon guarding them. Then he realized his phase pistol was gone. With a strange cry reminiscent of the Viking warriors of his homeland, Scotty charged the Klingon at a dead sprint. He only succeeded in causing the Klingon to stumble back a bit. The Klingon punched him in the stomach and Scotty dropped like a sack of potatoes. Kirk rounded the corner and stunned the Klingon in the face.  
"You okay?" he asked Scotty, offering him a hand.  
"Yeah," Scotty said. He hit the door console and it slid open revealing Chekov, hanging from his wrists in the middle of the room.

"Chekov!" called Kirk, running forward.  
"My God, laddie! Are you...? My God..." Scotty stumbled over his words as he follows the Captain inside.  
Chekov raised his head, revealing his bruised face; but he smiled.  
"I knew you'd make it in time," he whispered weakly.  
"I don't leave anyone behind," Kirk replied. "Never." Kirk pulled on the chains, trying to set Chekov free. Chekov hissed, his face tightening in pain. Kirk's eyes darkened with anger but all he said was, "Scotty, lift him up."  
Scotty nodded and supported Chekov as Kirk blasted the chains apart with the phase pistol. Chekov basically fell into Scotty's arms.  
"Hi Scotty," he said faintly.  
"Hi Chekov," Scotty replied, putting Chekov's arm around his neck. "Don't worry, we've got you."  
Kirk put Chekov's other arm around his neck and flipped open his communicator.  
"Kirk to Spock."  
"Here, Captain."  
"We have Chekov. Get to the ship."  
"Yes, Captain. Will you require assistance?"  
"Just start the ship." Kirk stores the communicator grabbed his phase pistol and said, "Let's go."  
"How...exactly...did you get...in here?" Chekov gasped.  
"Pretended to be Klingons," Scotty said breezily.  
Chekov's brow furrowed, "What about...the cameras...?"  
"Cameras?!"  
Kirk's and Scotty's shared exclamation was answered by a road in Klingon behind them.

"Drop!" Kirk roared and the trio dropped to the ground, narrowly missing the phase fire over their heads.  
"Shoot them!" Kirk shouted at Scotty, trying to take down their attackers with some well-aimed shots.  
"I don't have a..."  
"Then get Chekov to safety! Now!"  
Scotty got to his knees and half-dragged, half-led Chekov to shelter behind a computer console. Scotty flipped open his communicator.  
"Spock!"  
"Mr. Scott? What...?"  
"Help!"

There was no reply and Scotty said some choice words in Scottish before shoving the communicator back into his belt. Then he stood, took a running started and rammed into a Klingon that was trying to behead the Captain with some sort of sword.  
Chekov cursed his own weakness and pulled himself to his knees, he grabbed onto the top of the console to try to pull himself to his feet and he made a face as the console moved beneath his hand. He pulled the loose piece down, stared at it in surprise, and then stunned the Klingon that was currently choking the Captain with a well-aimed shot from Scotty's missing phase pistol. Phaser fire from the end of the hallway dropped the other Klingon's and Spock examined his friends; "Everyone alright?"  
"Sure," Kirk gasped, rubbing his neck, "Let's just get out of here!"  
Spock basically lifted Chekov off the ground and supported him almost the entire way to the shuttle on his own. Scotty helped once he caught up and Kirk walked there backwards, a phase pistol in each hand.

Uhura had the engine started. "Is everyone..." she began, "Oh my God...Chekov!" She ran to take Chekov from Spock and Kirk threw himself into the pilot's seat.  
"Sit down, hurry!" he called. "Enterprise! Shuttle Pod Two! You there?"  
"Here and still chasing the shuttle pod, Captain."  
"We're here but I don't like the look of those Klingon weapons, Captain!  
"Sulu! We're busting out of here! Get ready to warp! Mayweather, get back to the Enterprise as soon as we're clear!"  
"Yes, sir!"  
"Got it, Captain!"  
Kirk told his passengers, "Hold on!" And he "punched it." The shuttle pod shot forward and Spock's hands flew over the controls.  
"Bam!" The hangar bay doors were blasted apart and the Klingons watched in surprise as a Starfleet shuttle went flying out of a hangar bay that they had assumed only held a small Klingon scout ship.

April and Nick, one engine smoking from a few Klingon pot-shots, flew into the Enterprise hangar seconds before Kirk more or less crashed his shuttle into the hangar-bay floor.  
"Sulu!" Kirk shouted over the intercom.  
Sulu went to warp and the Klingon leader limped into his bridge. He glared at the empty space that seconds before had been occupied but not one, but three Federation vessels. Then he started yelling.

Back on the Enterprise, April raced out of her shuttle and hugged Chekov tightly as Spock and Kirk helped the young Ensign out of their shuttle.  
"I'm okay," Chekov gasped into her ear. "I'm okay." Then he fainted in her arms. April started to fall, only to be saved by Spock.  
"I've got him," he told her.  
To April's surprise, Spock picked up Chekov easily and carried him all the way to sickbay where McCoy swore and fussed and shouted for everyone else to get out.  
"He'll be fine," said Scotty as the sickbay doors slid shut in everyone's faces, "He's home now."

Author's Note: Don't go away! One more chapter will be posted soon! Please review, and thank you to everyone who favorites this story. Another story featuring a bit more of our favorite half-Vulcan is on the drawing board please keep a lookout for more stories!

Ch. 8 - Just a Few More Things

Chekov was conscious but he left his eyes closed. Like before, he listened. He was not restrained and the light material on his arms felt like clean sheets. And the humming of the ship's engines was so familiar that he smiled before he opened his eyes. It was the sound that lulled him to sleep every night - the sound of the Enterprise traveling at warp.  
Chekov opened his eyes. He was in sickbay; the only person there was Dr. McCoy, his back to Chekov looking at a screen.

Chekov carefully rose up on his elbows before calling softly, "Doctor."  
McCoy spun around, "Chekov! You're awake. How do you feel?"  
"Alive," Chekov said gratefully.  
"Yeah," McCoy said softly, "Thank God." He finished scanning Chekov with his medical triquarter and looked down at the young man. "I'm supposed to tell everyone once you're awake but do you feel up to it?"  
"Yes," Chekov said.  
"You sure?" McCoy asked, "You were pretty...not everything has healed yet even though it's been most of a day."  
"I'm sure," said Chekov. "I just want to see...near the end I started wondering if you were coming."

"Of course we were coming," Kirk said striding into the sickbay, "We weren't going to leave you."  
"Excellent timing, Jim," McCoy said dryly.  
"I told you I was going to check on him," Kirk said dismissively. "Chekov, how are you?"  
Chekov sat up gingerly and flexed his hands carefully. He winced slightly as the cuts on his wrist moved. "I'll be ready for duty soon, Captain."  
"None of that, Ensign," Kirk said, he sat down on the edge of McCoy's desk (McCoy rolled his eyes), and "You're taking off as much time as you need."  
"I'm not letting you leave sickbay until I'm sure you're fine," McCoy added.  
Chekov smiled, "Yes, sir...sirs."

Chekov paused then asked, "Captain, you were part of the rescue group, weren't you?"  
Kirk smiled, "Yes."  
"Why?"  
"Why? Because you're my Navigator and my friend, Chekov," Kirk said.  
"But if you'd died on the mission...!"  
"I wasn't leaving you there," Kirk repeated. "I'll never leave anyone behind."  
"Doesn't that make us all bait?" Chekov demanded.  
"It makes our ship stronger," Kirk replied, "Because we all trust each other with our lives."  
Chekov thought about it for a moment then smiled, "Thank you, Captain."  
"You're very welcome, Pavel," Kirk answered.

The sickbay doors slid open and April entered. "Doctor?" She asked, "Is Chekov awake?"  
"Yes," McCoy answered, stepping to the side so that she could see for herself. April's breath caught in her throat when she saw Chekov. She hadn't thought she'd be this happy to see him.  
Kirk smiled knowingly and clapped Chekov gently on the back, "See you around, kid. I'm going back to the bridge, don't be surprised if Sulu and Scotty come running in here soon."  
Chekov half-laughed in reply. Kirk left and McCoy discreetly went into his office.

April stepped forward and gave Chekov a gentle hug. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered.  
"So am I," he said sincerely and she laughed. Chekov grinned but then said seriously, "And I'm glad they didn't get you, too."  
April opened her mouth to answer but Chekov interrupted her, "Because, on my own, I was able to not tell them anything. But if you had been there, I don't think I could have lived with myself if they'd hurt you."  
April smiled, blinking back tears that Chekov would never know had existed. She reached down and squeezed his hand. Chekov squeezed it back warmly and, part of them fully conscious of the rules aboard a Starship, they slid their hands apart. But their fingers were still touching.

"How did you manage to distract the Klingons?" Chekov asked after a moment.  
April laughed, "It was seriously the stupidest thing Nick and I have ever done! We..."  
"Laddie!" Scotty shouted running into the sickbay. Sulu followed so quickly that he ran into McCoy coming out of his office. Chekov and April laughed as McCoy began shouting at both Scotty and Sulu. Right outside the doors Spock heard all this and, unseen by everyone, he smiled.


End file.
